Free MLB Pick: Red Sox vs. Rays Odds
Looking for Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays free MLB predictions? MLB betting sees the Red Sox taking on the Rays in Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series Thursday, October 7th, 2021 at Tropicana Field. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all MLB baseball matchups all season long so stay tuned for more FREE daily MLB predictions like this Red Sox Rays ALDS Game 1 free pick.
2021 ALDS: Game 1
(0-0) Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays (0-0)
Date: Thursday, October 7th, 2021
Time: 8:07 PM ET
Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Projected Pitchers: McClanahan (TB)
MLB Moneyline Odds: Red Sox +159 | Rays -200 (Bet Now!)
MLB run line Betting Odds: TBD
MLB Baseball Gambling Total: O/U 7.5
Red Sox Series Price: +125 | Rays Series Price -150 (Bet Now!)
The American League East produced the team with the AL’s best record and both Wildcards.
Boston dispatched New York in the single-game showdown at Fenway Park Tuesday to set up a five-game series against its newer division rival.
Boston Red Sox
Boston led Tuesday’s Wildcard Game from the first inning Tuesday and went on to win, 6–2.
Xander Bogaerts drove in the game’s first two runs with a home run to dead centerfield off Yankee starter Gerrit Cole in the first.
Nathan Eovaldi earned the win with 5.1 innings, four hits, one run, no walks, and eight strikeouts. He threw just 71 pitches and could be available as early as Game 2 of this series.
There were rumbles when Red Sox skipper Alex Cora hooked Eovaldi early after allowing a solo home run to Anthony Rizzo and a soft ground ball to Aaron Judge that went for a single.
Boston’s bullpen held up, though. Ryan Brasier escaped the sixth thanks to a wonderful relay throw from Bogaerts to nab Judge at the plate on a wall-ball by Giancarlo Stanton.
Tanner Houck, Hansel Robles and Garrett Whitlock retired nine of the ten batters they faced in the seventh, eighth and ninth.
Nick Pivetta last followed Eovaldi in Boston’s starting rotation. He pitched well against Tampa Bay in four starts this season, too, though his most recent on August 30th was his worst.
Pivetta walked five in five innings and gave up six hits and five runs. He cleaned up his walks in September, though, allowing just three in 20 innings.
JD Martinez missed the Wildcard with an ankle injury. Reports suggest he won’t need surgery but that it’s severe. Don’t count on him for this one.
Tampa Bay Rays
Shane McCLanahan went 10–6 in 25 starts as a rookie in 2021 and 1–1 in three starts against Boston.
The Rays’ Game 1 starter went six innings in his win and five in each of his losses, throwing between 68 and 88 pitches in all three starts.
Only three times did McClanahan allow four runs in a start and never once did he allow more than four. He struck out 141 batters and walked 37.
He actually debuted in last year’s postseason, pitching in all three series, including the World Series.
In 19 matchups this season, Tampa Bay won 11 to Boston’s eight.
MLB Baseball Betting Trends:
- Red Sox are 4-0 in their last 4 overall.
- Rays are 8-3 in their last 11 games following an off day.
- Under is 6-0 in Red Sox last 6 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Head to Head: Red Sox are 2-7 in the last 9 meetings in Tampa Bay.
- Head to Head: Over is 24-10-2 in the last 36 meetings.
Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays MLB Prediction:
Nelson Cruz hit 32 home runs in 140 games between the Twins and Rays this season, which was actually his least powerful season in the last ten.
Even without Martinez, Boston has a powerful offense that could out-hit the Rays if Cruz doesn’t flash his power and Wander Franco struggles in his introduction to postseason play.
Not that the rookie phenom is liable to do so. He was sensational in over 300 plate appearances this season, posting a 129 OPS+. He was even better against the Red Sox.
Questions abound Tampa Bay’s bullpen but the Rays have more dependable relievers in better shape than Boston does.
One guy Rays skipper Kevin Cash may avoid in this particular matchup: Ryan Yarbrough.
He threw another 155 innings for Tampa Bay this season but in 20 against Boston, his ERA was 11.25.
4* Free MLB Betting Pick: Tampa Bay
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